


You Can't Arrange True Feelings

by panthershabit



Series: IronPanther [8]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Bisexual T'Challa (Marvel), Comfort, Idiots in Love, IronPanther is the end pairing, M/M, Secret Marriage, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 00:03:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19345426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panthershabit/pseuds/panthershabit
Summary: Due to his father's death and his failure to find another partner after Nakia, T'Challa must unite the tribes of Wakanda through marriage. The upcoming monarch isn't ready for someone to tell him who he must love.





	You Can't Arrange True Feelings

**Author's Note:**

> Small notes - AU where in Wakanda, if you don't already a husband or wife, a leader of another Tribe will marry the monarch instead of a challenge for the throne like in the movie. Kudos and feedback are always appreciated <3

"I cannot do this. I won't," T'Challa insistingly refuses. Shuri folds her arms to support her brother but not much can be done at this point. In the past, their Baba warns him of what happens to princes who do fail to find their partners before Bast is ready to claim the current king or queen of Wakanda but admittedly it falls on deaf ears due to T'Challa being young and rightly-so not expecting for his father to be blown up in a plot twisted with the Avengers and Zemo. Now he's sitting in the throne room of the Golden Palace, centered in Birnin Zana, listening to what's next for him. "Surely, there is an alternative? I am already in the early stages of talking to someone."

Suddenly, the arranged marriage tradition escapes T'Challa's train of thoughts and the brunet billionaire he's been secretly talking to comes to mind. His stomach twists violently at how he can possibly explain this to Tony and it reminds him of the feeling of the first time his younger sister takes him to an amusement park with the name 'Six Flags' - tied knots in his stomach and despite his protests, he's constantly assured that there's no other way through it than to go through with it. At any other moment, the memory can easily bring a smile or even a chuckle out of T'Challa. But not now. Not when this is happening to him.

"I'm sorry, my son, but the council is insisting on this. Your father told you what would happen if you couldn't find a husband or wife after you cut things off with Nakia before marriage, so this is the only way to do this."

It deflates T'Challa to hear his mother practically scold him for not finding love, as if it happens to be his wrongdoing that Nakia chooses to go on missions more than she sees him. They mutually break away a long time ago yet T'Challa, to this day, still never hear the end of it. He sits forward on the throne that will be his if he does this, a seat once warm to his father, and braids his fingers with a cold stare to the ground below him. Glass panels and lines of silver is all he sees as a small feat of pressure lands on his shoulder from his sister who offers support to him.

"The rules are stupid. Baba was king, and T'Challa is his son, shouldn't  _he_  get to decide what happens with the throne? Does it matter if he's single?"

T'Challa fails to raise his sights up to his mother, which crushes him as she is the woman he looks up to equally as much as his sister. The women in his life are always the strongest, much stronger than him, and he never forgets that, which is why he knows if there is any other way to do this they will support it...but there's not. T'Challa understands why Ramonda reminds him of the time he has to find a partner - it's not because she wants to be right but because she deeply cares about him and knows how important it is to the man that he carries T'Chaka's legacy, even if it is with a ring on his finger.

"Thank you, Shuri, but Mama is right. I had all the time in the world to get married and I didn't. Even if it's through painful circumstances, there's no alternative. We have to unite all of the Wakandan Tribes through this tragedy, and bring the Jabari Tribe out of solitude. If it means marrying one of the Tribe Leaders, so be it."

Looking up at Shuri with a disheartened smile, T'Challa appreciates her attempts to support him.

"You know M'Baku will probably be the one you marry? Are you prepared for that?"

Her hand's touch on his shoulder tightens for a brief squeeze and she purses her lips, hoping T'Challa doesn't react too badly to her questions. There's nothing worse than getting cold feet a week before the wedding. Thankfully, a small grin reveals the prince's friendly, toothy smile and he stands up to face his sister as well as assure her he's fine.

"Have I not conquered that dastardly kingdom called Six Flags? I am prepared for  _anything_ , now."

Shuri giggles and shakes her head while rolling her eyes, playfully shoving her brother away as Ramonda smiles in the short distance. While the sun still gleams down on the beautiful city of Birnin Zana and T'Challa still has his family as well as the breaths in his lungs, it's better to be happy in these times than sad. At least now he can keep his nation and the peace between the tribes in Wakanda.

 

* * *

 

Tony shifts in his seat back in New York. A promise is a promise so he escorts the young boy, Peter Parker, back to Aunt May's apartment before she literally kills both of them. The brown-haired teenager inquires about the blend of purple and yellow around his right eye but Tony passes it off as a late form of bruising he acquires from the events in Germany. Of course, Peter doesn't believe that story one bit but he's in the limo of a billionaire who also happens to be Tony Stark - it's much better than walking home.

"Hey, Mr. Stark?" Peter asks curiously. "I couldn't help but overhear something, y'know, with the whole 'spidey-senses' thing."

An eyebrow raises and Tony turns to give him an intrigued smirk. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

Peter takes a nervous swallow and scratches the back of his chestnut brown hair. "When you were talking to that Black Panther guy, you mentioned something about a second date...are you seeing the Black Panther, Mr. Stark?"

 _Shit_. Tony knows there's no point in lying to the kid about anything else, not if he wants Peter to continue trusting and respecting his hero. Tony speaks to T'Challa as soon as the explosion in Vienna shocks the world, offering his deepest condolences for both his people who lose their lives in Lagos, Nigeria and his father who unwillingly tangles himself in a plot devised to break apart the Avengers, the same group he condemns and Tony agrees with for doing so. It's something small, but T'Challa appreciates Tony's gesture of telling him how his father is right and warms to the man once he offers to help bring Bucky Barnes in.

It's only when they talk more Tony finds the courage to ask the man if he's in a relationship, to which he receives the most satisfying 'no' of his life. Only one date passes by when T'Challa is called back to Wakanda and the prince promises to speak to Tony the instance he is king. Little does Tony know that as they discuss Tony and T'Challa's secretive exchange of conversation, T'Challa is picking out his attire for a forced regal marriage.

"Yeah, we're dating. Not through the best circumstances, but love is love, right?"

Peter nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders and looks at his mentor with watchful eyes.

"So...you're dating the Black Panther? What does he look like under the mask?"

Tony forgets that not many people actually become aware of the Black Panther's identity once he takes the mask off due to Rhodey and the other forces surrounding the area. Only Everett, Sam, Natasha and Steve are the others who know the truth beneath the mask. 

"He's very handsome, he has a thick beard and smooth skin, god his accent is amazing..." Tony explains, going into depth about how magnificent T'Challa is. It's only when he cuts himself off that he hears himself out loud and feels his face reddening. "Shit, I sound like I'm your age again."

Peter giggles and pats Tony on the shoulder. "Hey, I'm not judging. 'Love is  _looove_ ', remember?"

The Spider-Man's teasing humors Tony because, in his eyes, he's getting off lightly. The brunet inventor knows for a fact if any of the Avengers were to hear how he speaks of T'Challa, the day will undoubtedly never end.

"Fair point. Do you think it's too early to call?"

 _How is this happening?_  Tony Stark is approaching a teenager about whether or not it is appropriate to call the person he is seeing. But, then again, he remembers that once upon a time, a one-hundred plus-year-old man is his best friend and the two even recollect some of the blonde's favorite memories from the war. That's a long time ago, and it'll be a long time before he's ready to forgive Steve.

"Well, when was the last time you spoke to him?" Peter questions with a quizzical smile and crossed arms.

Tony strokes his beard firmly and mentally travels back to the last time they speak - it's after the battle between the two teams that Tony tries his best to calm T'Challa down, using his palms against the scolding hot cheeks of the Wakandan prince as a mechanism to soothe his anger. It works, and Tony manages to bring the prince down from his world of questioning Natasha Romanov and who she believes she is. 

"Just after we fought Cap & Co. at the airport."

"Well, what's the harm in checking in?"

Agreeing with him, Tony draws out his phone and sees two calls have gone unseen in the last twenty minutes. When he looks at the caller, that's when he raises an eyebrow, as it's none of other than the man he's been contemplating contacting. It's T'Challa.

 

* * *

 

Ambling to the icy ridge of a mountain that connects a bridge, T'Challa overlooks the harsh chill against his skin as the nerves take over. How he plans to tell the leader of the Jabari Tribe that he wishes to keep their marriage completely platonic is unprecedented to him but it needs to be done. Despite what the other Tribal Council Leaders may think, it's wrong for T'Challa to allow M'Baku to even consider that there is something between them. It's not in a spiteful manner - T'Chaka raises his son better than that - but if M'Baku tries to engage in anything and T'Challa doesn't want it, it'll be something that cannot be undone.

Two Jabari Tribe warriors stand on each side of the front of the bridge, tightly grasping onto their pointed wooden spears.

"I am T'Challa, son of T'Chaka, prince of Wakanda and member of the Golden Tribe. I wish to speak with M'Baku regarding our marital arrangement."

It feels weird for T'Challa to explain himself in such a manner. Usually, his appearance alone notifies his peers of his importance and now he's standing before two guards asking them if he can speak with their leader.

They nod, silently, and after searching him for weapons - which is highly unflattering for T'Challa - they give him permission to cross the bridge on his own. Admittedly, without the Black Panther Habit, he's not the biggest fan of heights as he cannot control how he lands without it. The heavy weight of the built suit and the nanotechnology of his sister's suit give him comfort, and now he stands idly with chilled hands against the frosty rope, feet on wooden steps and a long way down in his sights. It's a long journey to get to M'Baku but T'Challa merely thinks about the plan he has for Tony, who he informs of an urgent discussion they will have when he gets back.

Once he faces the muscular, much taller man in front of him, T'Challa wastes no time in saying what's on his mind.

"M'Baku, I just wish for you to know that if you do go ahead with this arranged marriage, I cannot lie and say that there will be feelings involved. I thought I would let you know before you consider making the agreement."

M'Baku coldly stares at him, listening to what he has to say. Once he fails to respond, T'Challa feels an intense awkward sting in his cheeks and the fact he's standing, waiting for an answer feels humiliating. But it's the right thing to do as long as he only has to endure this for no more than the following hour. When his mouth slowly opens to add to the sentence, M'Baku swiftly raises one hand to stop him in his tracks.

"This is our first meeting, and you come to tell me that you will never feel any attraction towards me?" M'Baku smirks, full of confidence. Almost as if he questions T'Challa's opening statement to the conversation.

"It wouldn't be fair of me to put on a facade at your expense. This marriage will solely be to unite our tribes."

T'Challa aims to not sound as harsh as he is, but it's the honest truth. That's when M'Baku randomly breaks into a fit of giggles and covers his mouth will maintaining eye contact with the confused heir to the Wakandan throne.

"I don't believe I understand what's so funny," T'Challa says in response to M'Baku's now laughter.

"There are other tribes, other men and woman who are considering taking your hand in marriage. Why do I believe I am the only one you've actually visited?"

T'Challa's head tilts slightly to the side and he takes a sharp breath. 

"You are the most likely to agree with it. I did not want you to have any false interpretations about my part of the arrangement."

Crossing his arms, M'Baku observes the man and chuckles.

"Sounds to me like you do not want my feelings to be hurt. You clearly care enough to travel this far."

"M'Baku, I'm doing this out of kindness."

M'Baku stands from his throne and slowly saunters towards the man with eager eyes and a trailing smile. T'Challa opts not to move and watches as the tall man gets closer until they are right in front of each other. Raising his muscular arm, M'Baku brings his fingers to brush against T'Challa's cheek and caress the chilly skin. T'Challa knows he should back away, but the man's touch isn't as brutish as other Wakandans make them out to be. It's delicate, welcoming and M'Baku's smile and his gentle, dark brown eyes only make T'Challa feel easier.

"I think that it is impossible to declare that you will not love me at this stage. But...I am not a simple-minded man. I will marry you if possible for the sake of our two tribes uniting, and I will test your 'non-love' theory. But I will not force you to do anything you do not wish to do."

Breaking his touch from T'Challa's cheek, he returns to his throne and T'Challa takes a gulp while fixing his sights on M'Baku. Any other life, perhaps he can fall in love with the Mighty Jabari Leader M'Baku. But in this life, he only wishes to reserve his love for Tony Stark.

 

* * *

 

"I'm sorry,  _what?_ "

When T'Challa asks for Tony to meet him in Las Vegas, he expects the two to have coffee or even eat somewhere fancy. But when the Wakandan proposes an idea to him, _literally proposing_ , it catches the brunet off guard,

"I know, and you have every right to say no, Tony. It's been such a small amount of time between us but if I didn't feel as if you were my perfect match then I would not ask such a thing."

T'Challa's face is serious, pleading for Tony to hear him out.

"So, if we don't get married today, you'll have to marry some other dude and live with him?"

Tony's having a difficult time making this entire situation out in his mind but from what he understands, he has to make the choice now on whether or not T'Challa is the man he wishes to spend his life with. He feels like the answer is an easy yes, but prays that T'Challa will never think of him as an alternative to a forced marriage. When T'Challa sees the man fretting as he thinks it over, he slowly clasps Tony's warm hands with his.

"I understand if you say no. This is truly an impromptu request which holds a lot on your shoulders."

Tony looks up to see T'Challa's honest, trusting eyes and smiles at him. "I'd love to."

Those words bring a strong smile from T'Challa and he wastes no time in leaning forward and kissing Tony - their first kiss. Holding the side of Tony's face to mirror how Tony calms him down a while ago, it feels great to share their first kiss knowing that they'll have plenty more of these as husbands. It all feels so fast but neither of them has any objection and Tony wants to say he will do this as a friend but he much prefers to do it out of love.

They find the closest venue that manages impromptu weddings and it's a blessing in disguise that both of them dress with prestige regardless of this event. Waiting in the line, they both exchange excited looks. It's not every day that a prince-to-be-king of a secret nation and a billionaire inventor choose Las Vegas as their wedding venue, especially when one of them only learns of the idea of marriage a handful of minutes prior to where they are now.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Tony admits with a grin. "But I wouldn't choose anyone else to get secretly-last-minute married to than you."

T'Challa takes Tony's hand and rubs his thumb over it. "The feeling's mutual, Tony."

Eventually, the line thins out and it's their turn. They both restrain their gleeful giggles and simply grin at each other as the marriage officiant goes on with the process. Once they get to their vows, they both make quips about having known each other for a week which definitely turns the officiant's head.

"Tony, I admit that though this is very quick, I am happy to be finding my husband in you. Literally, from the moment we first spoke, you've done nothing but support and comfort me during what may be the worst times of my life. As I take you to be my husband, I promise to devote myself to you and only you, as well as everything we would have done as boyfriends before becoming husbands."

Those words bring a heavy smile out of Tony and he listens to the beautiful, thick accent's promises with a laugh at the end in response to the promise. Soon, they are told to kiss and they do so, fusing their lips together and passionately embracing the future that holds them together. Sure, getting married in a week is definitely something Tony Stark doesn't expect in his life but it will never be something he regrets either.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm thinking of adding a second work to this where T'Challa advises his new husband to make amends with Steve, and also tell Steve himself how much of a dick he was. That's why it's in a series for now.


End file.
